JotCast | Notre Dame hoops fall chat | 9/24/2020

Notre Dame hoops fall chat

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Ollie

11:04

What gives you confidence that Djogo can contribute anything on the floor this season? I'm not sure what happens in practice, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone miss more shots in games.

Thomas Noie

10:57

Jim: I couldn't agree with you more. What happened with Ryan Ayers might indeed be a private matter, and I understand that, but like you said, these are coaches in highly-visible positions. Added to that, Ayers played at Notre Dame. He graduated Notre Dame. He was Mike Brey's No. 1 choice as AC when there was a vacancy on his staff. As much as the university wants to hide behind the "university matter" if that's what it was, the three-sentence announcement saying he's left (effective immediately) to pursue other opportunities says nothing. It's disingenuous that the university would look at that and think anyone would take it at face value and think, oh, OK.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

10:52

Good morning Tom. This is just a generic question but don't you think the public has somewhat of a right to know what's going on with the Ayers situation? At least to a certain extent. After all, these coaches are in a highly visible profession and to just clam up about it with absolutely no explanation seems wrong. I understand all about confidentiality but to allow all the speculation and idle gossip to continue on for who knows how long without even a partial explanation doesn't appear to do anyone any good. And if this whole sad saga remains a total secret, who does that benefit? I would appreciate your input on this issue. Thanks much.

Thomas Noie

10:52

Part two of the question, having not seen what this year's freshman class might offer, figure Notre Dame to again be in the market for a swingman and a big man moving forward.

10:51

BoBo: I don't know if it helps or hurts. Prospects that are looking at Notre Dame are looking for the overall college experience. They want to hoop, but they also want an education. One reason Trey Wertz was interested in Notre Dame was that he'd be able to sit out this season as a transfer, which would also put him on track to work toward his Master's in Business. That doesn't happen at a lot of schools - and even fewer at schools that play in the ACC. Notre Dame doesn't trick anybody in recruiting. You want to go to Notre Dame, you better be in it for the right reasons. That means more than just hoops.

BoBo from Topeka

10:49

How will the weirdness of recruiting this year (no campus visits, etc.) help or hurt Notre Dame? What are the holes you see us needing to fill?

Thomas Noie

10:48

Rodger: Just wait and see. Cormac Ryan transferred in last summer from Stanford after he played one year. He has three remaining and may never NOT start a game. He gives this program something it hasn't had since 2015 with Pat Connaughton. Since 2011 with Ben Hansbrough. He's a combination of both. He can play, but more importantly, he can lead. Maybe most importantly, he gives this team a different type of swagger. Holds guys accountable. Good teammate. But also backs it up with his play. Not afraid. You'll like what you see from No. 5.

Rodger the Dodger

10:46

Don't know much about this Cormac Ryan. What can you tell us about his style of play and what we might see from him?

Thomas Noie

10:45

Bob: Thanks for the note. Keep reading the Tribune. Have a great day and stay healthy!

Bob

10:45

Mr. Noie: No questions, just a comment: Thank you for your dedicated coverage of the Irish as well as everything else you do (high school sports and so on). I get daily delivery of the SBT and hope print continues to live on.

Thomas Noie

10:45

Jake: Not right now. He's the sixth guard on the depth chart. Unless there's another injury (please, not again) or the guys ahead of him just don't deliver, he'll always be that security blanket.

Jake

10:43

That’s good to hear, so do you ever see a role for Morgan coming about, such as maybe a backup guard as an upperclassman?

Thomas Noie

10:42

Walter: In previous conversations with Mike Brey, when the subject of staff would arise, one name always was at the top of his wish list. Ryan Ayers. The second name? Scott Martin. Given Mike Brey's loyalty to his staff, to his guys, I have a hard time seeing him elevate Scott Martin only to demote him. That's not Brey. And if a program needs new energy, new juice (both Brey terms, by the way....lol) it probably needs something more than a new assistant coach.

Walter from Indy

10:39

Thom - earlier this week you hinted that the interim tag on Martin could very well be removed down the road...how?? why?! Sure it's too early to judge his abilities, but that just seems lazy. I get needing him to step in now given the circumstances, but this program desperately needs new energy, new juice...any way you slice it, Martin isn't it.

Thomas Noie

10:39

Bob: Absolutely you do. Just look at what's going on in the NBA bubble. There is no homecourt advantage. I'd contend that has led to better play. Guys just playing ball. Like back on the playground. The homecourt advantage really hasn't been one at Notre Dame the last couple of years. The Irish have had to muster their own energy. That works both ways....it will be easier/less stressful to play on the road.

Bob

10:37

With little or no crowd, don’t you lose home court advantage to some extent ? Especially at ND where the students have been less than supportive of the basketball program.

Thomas Noie

10:37

William: A big one, and not necessarily from a scoring/shooting standpoint which is his rep. A big shot taker and a big shot maker, right? I'm more interested in Laszewski developing into a really good college big man. We saw some flashes of it last year. Defensive rebounding. Taking charges. Standing his ground around the bucket. Mike Brey said this summer that there's no reasons Laszewski can't be a double-double guy for points and rebounds. Maybe not every night, but a lot of nights.

William H

10:34

How big of a step up in his play can Nate Laszewski take this year?

Thomas Noie

10:34

Nan: No reason to think that he can't be a consistent 10-10 guy. Ten points, 10 rebounds. Be an even more physical presence in the post. Block shots. Dunk lobs. And do it efficiently. He's not going to be someone who plays 30-plus minutes. But he's a fifth-year senior. John Mooney's not going to hog the space around the rim. That's Durham's territory. Go claim it.

Nan, Goshen

10:32

What more do you think Juwan Durham can give ND this year?

Thomas Noie

10:32

Ian: Normally, yes. Times 10. But is any coach's seat really hot this year? Hard to light that fire in a year that likely will be no other. Who knows how the schedule is going to play out. Who knows if the games will include fans. Who knows if we can even get to March Madness. This is a program that at the least should get to the NCAA tournament every season, right? But this season, it's more about surviving the regular season and all the challenges that come with it instead of "failing" to get to the NCAA tournament. Every program, every coach, likely gets a mulligan for whatever year we're going to see in college basketball.

Ian (Rockport, IN)

10:29

My expectations for ND every year is final four or bust (like football). But realistically ND should get into the tourney and possibly sweet 16. If Brey fails, is his seat hot?

Thomas Noie

10:29

John: Great question. Let's just dive right in....when that posts hits social media, you know as a reporter nobody in the program is going to offer anything additional. Not the head coach. Not an assistant coach. Not the university spokesperson. Nobody's touching that one based on the wording. It was blunt. It was cold. So you better have sources outside of the program that you can contact. So you do. The reaction from those sources (probably around a dozen) range from from stunned to speechless. They also choose to say nothing. As mentioned earlier, you check the police logs for SBPD and the SJ County Jail to see if there's any reason for an arrest. That comes up empty. You have, have, have to exhaust every avenue to uncover the reason behind it. Because for as much as the university and the program wants the three-sentence statement to stand on its own, it just doesn't do. So you dig, and you keep digging. In 20-plus years on this beat, usually somebody has something to say. This case? Everyone went dark.

John from Mitchell, SD

10:23

What's it like as a reporter when something like the Ryan Ayers hits and Notre Dame closes ranks? What avenues do you have to report such a weird story?

Thomas Noie

10:23

Jake: Elijah Morgan can play, to the point where I'd hoped Brey would put him in games last season. He's been hesitant to cross that bridge, but if it gets to the point where he needs to play, there's not as big of a drop-off with your average walk-on who's there just to be an extra body in practices.

Jake

10:21

If the staff is confident in Elijah Morgan, to what extent is that, particularly compared to your average walk-on?

Thomas Noie

10:21

Tom: Great question, and one that normally this time of year I'd have some insight on. I'd have seen the guys play pickup over the summer, and maybe during preseason. I'd seen the freshmen and would have a good gauge on how their games would translate to college. Last time I saw this team in person was the Virginia Tech home finale in March, so anything I offer is pretty much a guess....so here it goes....they're going to play more up-tempo with a three-guard look (Hubb, Goodwin, Ryan) that's better than last year's three-guard look. Laszewski takes another step as a shot-maker/scorer and can be the double-double guy. Not to the extent of Mooney. Juwan Durham? He has his best season as the No. 1 low-post option. They'll be able to score. Sometimes a lot.

Tom

10:18

How do anticipate the style of offensive play changing this year without Mooney, Gibbs and Rex? What newbies do you see getting key minutes?

Thomas Noie

10:17

Chris: I don't. That may change as we move forward and see what November and December are like, but there's been no indication that fans would be allowed inside arenas for games. Baseball went its whole season with no fans. Having fans indoors - especially during the cold and flu seasons - would be too big of a risk. Hopefully, that changes. The NBA has been able to make it work without fans. I don't know if colleges could. Like, going to a game at an empty Cameron Indoor? Bizarre.

Chris (South Bend)

10:15

Huge fan of your work! Do you think that there will be fans at all this season?

Thomas Noie

That's too many. Also, have the core of this junior class - Hubb, Goodwin and Laszewski - take that next step as players, as leaders. It's their time. This has to be their time.

10:15

Guest: A vague answer for a vague question, and vague identity. Be better than last year, particularly in the ACC. Notre Dame went from three league wins in 2018-19 to 10 league wins in 2019-20. OK, now take that to 12 league wins, or 13. Finish in the top half of the league. Be better at home. Teams that want to play in the NCAA tournament shouldn't lose four home games. That

Guest

10:12

Apologies for the vague question: what are realistic expectations for this Irish season?

Thomas Noie

10:12

AA: A check of Ryan Ayers' name in the SBPD and Saint Joseph County Jail police logs has been done twice this week by the Tribune. No record of his name in either.

AA

10:11

Did anyone think to check with SBPD in regards to Ayers?

Thomas Noie

10:11

Mike: None, and I don't expect anything else. When nobody wants to comment on the record or off the record - and that's never happened - that tells you a lot. Stunning? Absolutely.

Mike from Rochester NY

10:09

Tom, Any more information on the stunning departure of Ryan Ayers?

Thomas Noie

10:09

Kling: No, and I don't know if that's something that anybody over there is realistically hoping for either. It's just not going to happen. Now, finish in the top three of the ACC and make a run in the NCAA tournament like in 2015? No reason why this program can't do that more than once every 20 years. Maybe even make a Final Four. That's as good as it's going to get.

Kling

10:07

I know ND is never going to consistently match the level of recruiting of Duke, UNC. Kentucky, etc, but Brey has built a good program that is more successful than not, and he appears to have some clout, or at least a good reputation in the the CBB world. What I'm wondering, is my perception of him correct, that he's considered by his peers and the media as a "successful" head coach who has some currency to play with? And can he ever turn that currency into a national championship team? Is a number one finish something I should be realistically hoping for as a fan?

Thomas Noie

10:07

Tyler: Might be a little early to make any decision on what Scott Martin can be as a recruiter. Playing Devil's Advocate here, it's not like Ryan Ayers had a long list of top-tier prospects looking hard at Notre Dame. Promoting Scott Martin likely was done on the fly. Like, the staff has a vacancy and right now, given everything else going on in the basketball world, there's just zero time to devote to filling that spot. That's a big spot. Is Martin a guy to do it? We'll find out.

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